This topic will be a tough one to cover as it is extremely difficult, and maybe impossible, to say what’s the top 10 healthiest dog food brands. There are many brands out there to choose from that are very healthy for your dog. We will break down the areas that we look for in healthy dog food and you can make your own informed decision.
Your Dog’s Needs
There are many different types of food out there, depending on your pup’s needs. First you’ll have to decide if you’re looking for puppy food, adult dog food, senior dog food, overweight dog food or food for dogs with allergies. The next choice will be the size of your dog. Fortunately the choices are usually small, medium or large breed, but some brands will add an extra small or extra large size to the mix as well. Once you get that cleared up you’ll have to choose dry food, wet food, fresh food, raw food, grain free food or organic food. There are likely more choices out there, but you get the idea. In this article we will concentrate more on dry food. Dry food is the most popular type of dog food sold, but fresh food is gaining popularity.
Ingredients
When we looked for our top 10 dog foods, the first thing we looked at was the ingredient list. The top four or five ingredients are the most important as those are the majority of what the food consists of.
The first item we looked for in the ingredient list was a protein source. Protein most commonly comes from meat, such as beef, chicken, turkey, lamb or fish. Chicken meal, turkey meal, white fish meal, among other types of meal are used for another protein source. Meal consist of many meat byproducts which are dehydrated and made into a powder and although they are not as high quality as the actual meats, they are nutrient rich and another good source of protein. Animal protiens are the best types of protein. They are high in amino acids and are the best source of protein for our furry friends. Plant based protein is another source which can come from a variety of things, such as corn, rice, wheat, oats, lentils and soy, but it comes in second next to animal based protein.
One of the next items on the list is a source of healthy carbs. These are good for a dog’s energy and growth. Some forms of healthy carbs can be Whole Wheat, Whole Oats, Whole Corn, Barley, Brown Rice, Potato, Sweet Potato and Millet to name a few.
Also, towards the top of the list, we looked for Healthy Fats. Some of the healthiest fats are Omega-3 and Omega-6 which can be found in flax seed, canola and fish oils and animal fat. Healthy fats are a great source of energy for our pups.
A few more items in our sights were Vitamins and Minerals. Not only do we, as humans need them, but our pets need them as well. Vitamins like A, D, E, K and many B vitamins are found in quality dog foods. Many minerals are also found in the best kibble such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium and sulfur. Also, trace amounts of iron, zinc, copper, chromium, iodine, selenium, manganese and fluorine are included in high quality food to keep our dogs healthy.
Fiber is another important ingredient found in dog food. Many grains (not refined) and berries are good sources of fiber in dog food as well.
Many vegetables can be found in dog food, especially the fresh food brands, such as Carrots, Sweet Potatoes and Peas, to name a few.
Our Top 10
It was very difficult to boil it down to only 10 as we found a lot of very healthy choices.
These are in no specific order but are 10 of our favorites. Find our choices and many others at Amazon.com and Chewy.com. (As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases, which will not change your price at all.) (This post contains affiliate links and I may make a small commission for qualifying purchases which will not change your price at all.)
Redbarn Dog Food
We really like Redbarn because the first five ingredients are all animal protein for many of their formulas, which makes them one of our top picks. An extremely healthy choice for your dog. See our full review here.
Royal Canin
The biggest reason that we fit Royal Canin into the list is because it is a good choice for a healthy dog food and they have a wide variety of different foods for many specific dog breeds. Some believe that breed specific dog food is not necessary, but we believe that it has its place for some breeds. See our full review here.
Open Farm
Another extremely healthy choice. Check the ingredients of the food formula of your choice of kibble and based on the ingredient list, you will see that this is one of the healthiest dog food brands out there. See our full review here.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection
Blue Buffalo is the brand that we chose many years ago for our dog Lucy. They check all the boxes for healthy ingredients. See our full review here.
Canidae
This brand gets a thumbs up from us as well! The first ingredient of their recipes is always real meat, poultry or fish, depending on the formula you choose. See our full review here.
Purina Pro Plan Focus
Purina has been making animal food for many years and is a trusted name in the industry. The Purina Pro Plan Focus is a very healthy option for your pup as well. They offer 19 different recipes for your dog’s liking. See our full review here.
Nature’s Logic
Nature’s Logic is another great option as it is 100% natural, never made with man-made, chemically-synthesized vitamins, minerals, or amino acids. They have 18 dry dog food choices as well as several wet food options. See our full review here.
Taste of the Wild
Taste of the Wild has more than 9 dry food recipes, among other types of dog food, and they use unique proteins like wild boar, bison, smoke-flavored salmon, roasted duck, venison and Angus beef to make better tasting dog foods for your fury friend. See our full review here.
Orijen
Orijen dog foods are another extremely good choice. All the protein comes from actual meat, fish & poultry with no meal added, which makes this brand a great all natural choice. See our full review here.
Nulo Freestyle
Nulo is another protein rich kibble that makes our top 10 list. This is another fantastic choice that is one of the healthiest foods we found. Nulo also concentrates on low carb and low-glycemic ingredients to provide stable energy levels as well as probiotics for digestive and immune health.
In Conclusion
As we investigated so many of the healthiest dog foods out there, we actually learned how many very healthy dog foods that there are available and it was astounding. Although we couldn’t pick THE healthiest dog food brand, we did find a lot of great options to keep our best friends healthy. Most of these choices also offer wet dog food, raw dog food, frozen dog food and fresh dog food. The choice is ultimately between you, your vet and of course your furry companion.
We hope you gained a little insight from this article and as usual feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you may have.